I believe each of us has unique inner gifts to share with the world. I want to:

inspire educators, parents and other caregivers

celebrate inner resources, and

share the journey of learning and living the Nurtured Heart Approach®.

This newsletter is intended to support that mission and honor the work you do to foster relationships. Thank you for giving from the depths of your heart to help others SHINE!

My intention is to publish regular newsletters, each time with a specific focus group in mind. I will include nuggets and resources useful to any NHA® practitioner. This is NOT a substitute for NHA training. Subscribe now!

Transferable Skills

Several educators from the Verona Area School District participated in my summer NHA 200 Level - Notching Up: Mindfulness, Classroom Culture, and Coaching
workshop. Routines and the ways students interact determine classroom culture, and skills fostered in the classroom have applicability across settings for students and adults. In the sections below, I review content from that class including: Mindful Mini-Movements, PAUSE-itivity, and Climer Cards, tools that may support you and the kids you work with at school or at home.

Encourages positive behavior such as empathy, emotional control and optimism

Aids academic learning and improves cognitive control in the classroom

Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves mental health

Reduces peer aggression and promotes conflict resolution

Read energy throughout the day and take short movement/stretch breaks as needed. Directions for the Mini-Mindful Movements listed on the image above can be found here (from Mindfulness Curriculum for Middle Schools -- UW-Madison Counseling Program, 2015).

PAUSE-itivity

II PAUSE II

Becoming more positive often involves pausing to focus on what's right. Find moments in the day that allow, and often require, you to pause.

stretching awake in the morning

brushing teeth

brewing coffee/tea

stopping at a red light or in traffic

waiting in line (copy machine,
for related arts, to talk with
someone, grocery store)

booting the computer,
or loading an app or website

listening to announcements

microwaving lunch

waiting for kids to settle

While Pausing

Focus on gratitude and appreciation.

count your blessings

imagine beautiful things

breathe - in 2 - hold 3 - out 4 (or 4-7-8)

feel your feet or any other part of you that is resting against something

Noticing small moments gives you the opportunity to reenergize yourself with positivity.

Climer Cards

Climer Cards are decks of 52 cards that can be used in many ways to encourage creativity and conversation, promote reflection on an experience, and sort larger groups into smaller groups. We used the cards in my July 17 class and several participants expressed interest in purchasing information.